[PRP]Where Do I Go From Here? (Demanthra, Aly, and dergs)

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Yesterday had been a whirlwind of a day for the young green rider, part of Demanthra even wondered if she had dreamed it all. No, she knew it had happened, it had been a beautiful day and a horrid day all rolled into one. So many new matches had been made and the feast last night had been pretty. However, a new pair had been lost before they even had a chance to grow and Gr'del had been fired. She didn't even know if her, W'tarl, or any of the other assistants still had their jobs. Who was going to be the new candidatemaster and what would they be like? Rumors had been swirling, but she didn't know if any of them were right. And if the assistants were made to re-apply, should she?

I still want to know what some of those candidates were thinking when they acted like that on the sands. Who sharding well thinks to punch an egg with a baby inside?! If it had been my egg, they would have sorely regretted it. They are lucky no one was a dimglow in your group, Mine,Monath huffed in her rider's head. The green had been beside herself since yesterday, having mourned for the green who went between and angered at the candidates for putting Her's through this mental worry. Not to mention that big mouthed bronze, who she wished she had been able to shoo away herself.

Easy, dear one, I know you are still upset. I know had it been your egg, you would have set them straight about punching eggs. I remember how mad you had been on behalf of Zeno during the touching, though I didn't know it at the time. I think they had been trying to help, but you would think asking Weyrwoman Second Olliah would have been a better bet. I still don't even know if I should reapply,she sighed softly. She had the afternoon off, so she was in her weyr, trying to pull her thoughts together. Her mind was just trying to go through every possible possibility to come. She had a feeling the next person would be quite a tough man. It wasn't like she wasn't used to that, mind you, not after being under V'mel for a year. However, after what happened on the sands..she just didn't know.  

[Hattaki]

Would that she had thought possibly to knock first, but Alythrae had chosen to come and see her precious Demanthra after a period of wait. It felt cruel and Tarmath was rather vocal to let her know she considered it so as well, but she knew that the young woman had to come into her own as well. She was a rider now and not just her daughter that she wanted to protect with the intensity of a burning sun, that meant giving her freedom to figure out how she would react to certain things. Besides, it wasn't as if she was completely alone as poor Kinye had been, she had Monath and surely the small green would be with her through thick and thin of any emotional upheaval.

Though that was more Monath's style than Demanthra's in reality.

That green will not let her down, surely. She cares for her deeply even if she has her own way of showing her sort of emotions than you or I. Tarmath told her firmly as she bugled her incoming and reached out to touch the mind of the exact dragon she'd just commented on before her large clawed feet touched the stone of her ledge. "Oh I hear you, but I also heard you earlier when you were quite upset about not coming sooner." Aly informed her dragon aloud as she released herself from the straps that held her to her great green's scarred hide. "No daughter of mine would be so broken, they came out strong!"

Should we be thanking D'ast or myself for that miracle? Tarmath retorted with amusement, slapping the tips of her tail against Alythrae's back lightly as she settled comfortably on the very edge of the weyrledge in wait for Monath's approval. "You've gotten so snarky since you fell you great wherry! Don't you play with a mother's heart so easily!" She gasped in loudly faked melodrama as Tarmath simply snorted at her good-naturedly.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Monath wished there was more she could do for her rider, but all she could do was help her talk things out. Well, and provide a distraction by allowing her to sooth her anger about the happenings of yesterday. Her's was just so good at it, it came natural to the woman and the green was all too happy to encourage it. She was just about to grump about something else, when she heard a bugle come from the sky. An answering one came in reply, letting the older green know she was clear to land. She moved herself over enough for the other, so she could come closer, before sending a wave of love to the pair.

Mine, it seems we have a better distraction, your mothers are here. Seems there was a disagreement about coming earlier,Monath thought to her rider. She knew that Tarmath was as much a mother to Demanthra and her siblings as Alythrae was. Hearing the comment of Aly's daughters being strong, she puffed her own chest out, like she had something to do with it.

Knowing Mom, she was giving us time to think on it ourselves. I figure they went to Kinye after the announcement, as they should have. Kinye needed them, I know it. I had you and Rhiyn to help,Demanthra thought back, a teasing tone to the last part. She knew Monath had been upset by what happened, but was also throwing a bigger fit for her sake. She loved that green of her's so much, which she felt love pour into her in return. She made sure her dragon knew to tell Aly she could come inside.

Of course you have strong children, which I will thank you for. If you hadn't made her, I wouldn't have the sun to my moon. She is inside, she says you may enter. And Tarmath, you are more than welcome to get comfortable here,Monath thought to the pair warmly.  

[Hattaki]

Monath would always be Monath as far as Aly was concerned and it filled her with joy to hear the little green's voice in her head, especially with her snarky large lady settling down on the ledge as she was in comfort despite her remarks previous. All that love settled in her happily and the older woman reached out to run a hand over Monath's eye ridges gently and fondly as she passed by. "She is a sun at that, isn't she? I'm glad you saw it and chose so wisely." Giving her a wink, Alythrae walked into her daughter's weyr and gave her daughter a gentle look.

Both of her eldest daughters had worked their way into assistant positions through sheer determination and it saddened her to see that it was likely being stripped from her due to the actions of others. It was the way it went even with a wing of course, one falters and fails then they all faltered and failed, it was the way that life worked in a Weyr, or at least in High Reaches for she couldn't speak for them all and wouldn't after what that bronze had caused. All this grief thanks to loose lips and inconsiderate words, though certain fates had been sealed before that...

"How're you doing baby girl? Holding up and holding together with Monath?" Aly asked kindly, knowing that it couldn't have been easy. While she'd never applied for any position at the Weyr beyond that of wingrider in general, she'd had too many kids to have split her time so thoroughly away from them when she already had wing commitments, the older woman could understand the crushing blow it would feel to lose a position one had worked for. Her children were strong and hard workers, all of them, but moments like these were made for hurting and togetherness.

A rumble came from Tarmath in agreement as she settled her awkward and scarred bulk on the ledge beside Monath, attempting to keep all of her in a smaller space than she would normally occupy out of respect. Thank you for sharing, we were concerned with how things seem to be playing out in the wake of that hatching. What that might mean for you and Demanthra was concerning.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Monath closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the gentle touch on her eye ridges from Aly. When her eyes opened once more, they were a pretty purple at the words of the other. Yes, Demanthra was her sun and she wouldn't have picked anyone else. Even if she had not been able to show it when Her's touched her shell, the warmth had caught her attention at the time. A thrum of happiness went through the green, watching the older woman head in to check on her daughter. She turned her attention back to Tarmath, as she heard what the other said. A soft huff came from her, as she thought of the mental acrobatics her rider had done since yesterday.

Honestly, I am too, it was angering and heartbreaking all at once. We worried something would happen because of the anger, but I was hoping it was just that. However, with Gr'del being replaced, Mine has been fretting since we got word,Monath admitted.

Demanthra turned to look at her mother, her blue green eyes showing her mix of emotions. She tried to think of how to answer her mother's inquiry, to express the worries of her heart and mind. Part of her wanted to tell her mother she was fine, but she knew that would be a lie. No, she wasn't okay, she was feeling like someone had pulled the rug out from under her feet.

"I don't know how to feel right now, Mama. Monath and Rhiyn both have been wonderful, giving me support. I just..I don't know what I am going to do at all. I thought I knew what I would be doing for quite sometime, but now there is so much uncertainty,"she admitted.  

[Hattaki]

Gently two light brown eyebrows tilted upwards and inwards, a sad smile crossing Alythrae's face as she looked at the confusion in her own daughter's expression. While she and Ashlyn were extremely good at hiding there emotions, in fact all of her children except for Kinyegele were which bore some reflection, moments such as these were much more concerning and generally brought some of what they were hiding beneath their tough exteriors to the surface. She herself had never had the ability to hide a single thing she was thinking unless it was in the form of some sort of punishment, but most of her children hadn't needed her to wear the "Mom Mask" too often. So she'd been spared having to quash her bright enthusiasm for simply knowing their lives and how they were progressing. In fact Tarmath often acted as the level one that would be more than willing to sit and let the kids wear themselves out if they were acting badly.

Sometimes parenting with two mothers and two fathers of differing sizes was excellent.

This moment however required simple understanding. "Have you thought about what your options are and what you might like to do? You can always push to continue, re-apply if they take the title away from you or apply for another position as well. There are plenty of things to do around the Weyr even if you aren't an assistant anymore." Gently she reached out a hand and rubbed at her daughter's shoulder as if she were warming up her skin.

Oh don't worry too much about the shuffling of ranks, that's happened many times since even I was shelled and always will. As long as yours has the drive to continue helping she can fight her way back into that position through sheer force of will. Even though she said it, Tarmath still had her concerns but they were simply for her small human daughter's state of mind rather than her place in the Weyr. High Reaches needed every rider and non-rider to continue working towards fighting Thread and she would be a wonderful rider even if she lost her Assistant rank, she and Monath had already proven that.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Demanthra looked to her mother, seeing the way her eyebrows lifted. Her mother was always good at expressing what was on her mind, no matter what. She was like that with her good emotions, but negative ones she still needed to learn it was okay to express sometimes. That was when she was like her twin siblings, when she didn't want to bring others down with her sad or angry thoughts. When her mother spoke, she listened, nodding her head softly to her first question. She had been thinking deeply since the announcement yesterday of what she wanted to do. She knew she could do anything she put her mind to. Her family and now Monath had told her that plenty. So should she try to stay as an assistant, was that what she wanted?

"Yeah, I haven't been able to think of much else, Mama. I have been feeling so conflicted, knowing how bad it got on the sands yesterday. There were actions that shouldn't have happened, ones that I was so sure they knew better about. I know I could just move on, try to just be a normal rider or maybe a harper rider. However, knowing that change is coming, I also want to be there for the candidates, help them learn. I just don't want to throw in the towel when there is so much more I can do,"she spoke softly. She managed a soft smile when she had her mother's hand on her shoulder.



That makes me feel a little better knowing this is not the first time that change as happened. However, I don't like that Mine got caught up in it when she just started helping with the candidates. However, I have no doubt she has the drive it will take to do what she wants. Whether that is find something else or continue the current path. I am sure it will not be easy, but she will do it,Monath answered, pride and confidence in her voice. Her's could glow and Monath would see to it that no one made her feel like she needed to hide her light. If anyone did, they would be staring down a very testy green.  

[Hattaki]

Green eyes simply watched the gears turn and the subtle shift of emotion that seemed to happen in Demanthra's face and body language during the silence that stretched with her thoughts. All of her children were brave and capable and strong, that much she was completely certain of and was more than a little proud in a motherly sort of way about having instilled somehow. Though it was just as much D'ast that had given those traits to their children, along with the three eldest's more reserved natures, at least she had watched the flames of those traits burn and appear in them all over time. "You're going to be just fine if that's how you're already thinking in the wake of this."

Alythrae herself had simply been of a more devastated mind, seeing how hard Kinye had taken it, knowing that Demanthra's own position would be shaken if not completely stripped, it was hard to watch her own children react to events. But they were getting older and while they didn't need her nearly as much, at least she could be here for them when they would even now. "Some people act in unpredictable ways, especially when under pressure. You can have all the training in the world and sit through all the lessons, but when things slide sideways that's when you see how some truly are. Shards, you saw that well enough your very first Threadfall that you flew, training plays a large part, but actually living it is different. Hopefully those children will come out of it knowing better for the next one, if all of them are still around and don't lose their knots." Some of them, whichever one had punched an egg, in fact that had been a whole group hadn't it? ... sometimes it was good she didn't have a position of power with her knee jerk reactions herself.

Come now Monath, you and I know that this will simply make Demanthra stronger and more focused. A smile was in Tarmath's voice alongside the pride, if there were ever a child that could rise up in the face of certain actions and adversity, it was Monath's. While it's true that there's nothing that you can do when events arise, the two of you will tread that difficult path and shine all the brighter for it, as many have before and many will after. High Reaches dragonriders are the most skilled and tough after all. the heavily scarred green let her lone blue eye rest on the young dragon before her.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Demanthra managed a soft smile when her mother assured her she would be just fine, considering her determined thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more she was sure on what she wanted to do. However, she listened as her mother continued, speaking about how people could act in stressful situations. She couldn't argue with that, knowing that sometimes one small thing could bring out a side of people they didn't know about or like to acknowledge. At the mention of her first threadfall, she nodded, it had definitely been quite a day for their group. They had lost one of their number that day, one of Monath's blue brothers and his rider.

"Yeah, I guess there really is only so much training can do, the rest is up to us. All we can do is teach them what we can and try to minimize the potential danger. That is what V'mel did, was prepare us for what was to come, hoping it would save most of us. I want to be able to help the candidates be prepared as best as I can,"Demanthra replied.



You are very right, she will just come out of this a more confident person. And of course we are, we have some of the best people around. No one is as good as our people and we will continue to thrive when things get rough. Demanthra was born here, she will do all she can to shine. And I will be with her every step of the way, adding my own light,Monath assured.  

[Hattaki]

There it was, she had a good head on her shoulders, all her daughters did but Demanthra at least was always very driven in what she wanted to do. While she wanted to say that drive came from her, Alythrae was always far too flighty to have much drive unless it was burning her up from the inside out and that was no trick in itself. That took some doing. So if Demanthra had that much drive in her then she could see that she would be just fine, forge her own path with that strong resolve of hers.

At least it was for helping children.

Now if only romantically she managed that level of it, with that boy that she had her eye on. But that was a worry for another time, Aly already had some beautiful grandchildren even if her only son wasn't apt to likely give her any... just yet. A chuckle came from her and she patted Demanthra on the shoulder.

"You're going to be an amazing teacher, you just have to keep at it and you'll find your rhythm. After all, you only just started and this happened, so if you have the desire to keep on pushing through then I'm certain that you'll keep doing what it is you wish to as long as you can." Aly winked at her and promised herself that she'd talk to... someone. She wasn't exactly high ranking on a green but surely she could help a little if she tried. It was her first hatching as an assistant after all.

Deep down Tarmath wondered if Western Weyr spoke the same way about everyone that was there, as High Reaches dragons and riders spoke of their fellows and their Candidates. Surely they had to, for there was pride in a Weyr. One thing is for certain, no matter what she chooses to do and what you choose to do, you'll be great. Just continue to be great and you'll be fine. You were both destined for it after all.

Almost comically, only having one eye gave her the impression of constantly winking at others, but if Tarmath could have in that moment she would have. She had to trust in the younger dragons even if she wasn't all that old herself, she was a beaten and scarred thing. Monath and the newest dragonets would do well.

Dea and #Teddy#

This one likely is almost done. Whenever you wanna finish it, in the next post or a couple from now and then we can do another. <3

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Demanthra smiled softly when her mother said she would be a good teacher. She certainly hoped so, no matter who they would be getting to take over. She would keep trying though, she couldn't let one hatching get her down. If she had to prove herself, then so be it, she would do all she could. She wasn't going to let her dreams go that easily. She caught her mom's wink and knew her mom would be support her, in whatever way she could. Between some time with Rhiyn and her mother, she was feeling loads better.

"Thank you, Mama, you always know just what to say. I am not giving up, I am a rider of High Reaches and I plan to continue helping until I can't. Plus, some of Monath's fire might have rubbed off on me,"she laughed, feeling the warm mental embrace from the mentioned green.


I believe in the greatness of both of us, don't worry. If I have to remind her from time to time, I will. Also, remember that in yourself, Tarmath,the young green reminded the other.  

[Hattaki]

One thing that made being a parent utterly worth everything that it entailed was watching her children grow and learn. While it also made her a bit sad to see them grow and do so in a way that would have them grow away from possibly needing her, it was rewarding as well. Her babies weren't babies anymore and now all but one had a partner of their own that they could lean on. Just as she had.

"You had plenty of fire in you already, Monath helps bring it out so you both shine even brighter than the sun." She'd have to watch from then on to see how much brighter they got.

Outside Tarmath gave a trumpet of laughter, her lone eye swirling greens and blues. It's your time, not mine. I believe we've seen what my fate already holds. Don't you worry.

Dea and #Teddy#